The Voice of the Martyrs' blog, sharing powerful stories and timely information that invites and inspires American Christians into fellowship with their persecuted family around the world.

Posts from November 2013

November 28, 2013

“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I Thessalonians 5:18

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord!Call upon His name;Make known His deeds among the peoples!Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;Talk of all His wondrous works!”

I Chronicles 16:8-9

“Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord,For He is coming to judge the earth.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!For His mercy endures forever.And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,To give thanks to Your holy name,To triumph in Your praise.”

November 27, 2013

“The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad." (Psalm 126:3).

The tea shop was dark, but that was okay with us. In fact, we intended to find a place where we could meet secretly. The rendezvous had been arranged in a city that was a two-hour train ride from our contact's home, but meeting at our hotel was still too risky. Our national worker decided an empty, quiet tea room would be ideal.

We strategically selected an isolated table. As steaming drinks were brought to our table, we lowered our voices so that the server wouldn't hear any details. At one point, I cast a suspicious glance toward a cleaner who seemed to linger nearby.

Why all the precautions? I was in Western China meeting with a Christian leader who was imprisoned for three years because of his faith. While working in a labor camp, he was forced to make wigs. The quota was steep, and it was painstaking work.

Because my friend was older than the average prisoner, and had a reputation with the guards for being compassionate to others, he was asked to care for a young man who had frequent epileptic fits. The former drug addict he cared for soon decided to follow Jesus.

The former addict was later "promoted" and began overseeing quality control in the prison workshop. My friend said that they grew in friendship until they were "like Jonathan to David."

One day, a wig the older prisoner produced was inspected and failed the quality test. The younger man quickly exchanged the numbers and took the older man's punishment. My friend exclaimed, "I cried so much because it reminded me of Jesus!"

In the quiet tea room, my friend began to softly sing a hymn that encouraged him during his darkest hours. My teammate quickly grabbed his camera and discreetly recorded him singing. It is a recording I will treasure for a long time.

The old man came alive with joy when I asked him which Scripture passages had been especially meaningful during his darkest days. He lit up with excitement and started getting louder. Our translator told him he needed to quiet down or the entire tea shop was going to hear this sermon!

I asked him what he would tell me if he knew that I was going to be imprisoned tomorrow. He looked me right in the eye and said, "God is with you. God was with me and he will be with you."

May God guide each one of us as we stand with those who are suffering. God is with them in a very special, intimate way. And, as we lift them in prayer, God has given us the privilege of being his hands, feet and voices alongside them, no matter where we live.

Dr. Jason Peters serves in VOM’s International Ministries department, traveling frequently to meet with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. He lived overseas for five years and has ministered in more than 30 countries as diverse as Cuba, Nepal, Iraq and Indonesia. He and his wife, Kimberly, along with their five children, count it a great honor to serve with the persecuted church.

Disclosure: The link to "Safely Home" above is an Amazon affiliate link. This means if you click on the link and purchase the book, VOM will receive a small affiliate commission on your purchase.

November 26, 2013

Nicodemus Ado was a student at the Stephen Center in Nigeria, a home and boarding school supported by The Voice of the Martyrs. The center houses and educates Christian children whose parents have been killed in attacks by radical Muslims.

“My father was a pastor at the Baptist Church in Kaduna,” Nicodemus said when he was a 14-year-old Stephen Center student. “He was burnt to death by the rioters during the Kaduna riot.

“I have seen God’s power at work in my life by provision and salvation. When I feel scared, I immediately and normally take my Holy Bible and read and pray. That is the way I find peace."

Ten Years Later

“Ten years ago, we heard about Christians in Nigeria being attacked every other year. Then there were two or three a year. Now we sometimes hear of attacks every other week.”

— The Voice of the Martyrs field worker

Weng was 3 years old when radical Muslims attacked the Christians in his Nigerian village. As VOM previously reported, all nine people in Weng’s family died, and their house was set on fire. Weng was rescued from the fire, but his feet were burned.

Christian victims of attacks have at times been denied medical treatment at facilities in parts of Nigeria. The care received by those who need prostheses has been inadequate and of insufficient quality to serve the victims in the long term.

VOM started a program to provide help for people like Weng who need prostheses. VOMedical workers have set up a prosthetics clinic with the goal of training Nigerian Christians to staff it. Through the clinic, God is providing hope and a healthier future to amputees.

Nicodemus, Prosthetics Team Trainee

“After the conclusion of my secondary education, I left the Stephen Center in August 2010…to proceed with my university education,” Nicodemus said recently.

“In December 2012, the director asked me to join the prosthetics training team. I had never heard of prosthetics before; I wondered what it was.

“I concluded my training in June 2013. The training brought many things to our knowledge, and we were exposed to more advanced technology in the field of prosthetics….I enjoyed every stage of the training process…I would love to embark on further training in the field.”

More than 300 children now live at the Stephen Center. Their time at the center provides them with biblical and academic preparation that will allow them to be a light to their troubled nation and to help other Christians as they have been helped.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

(Quotes edited from the original for clarity.)

VOM’s Kids of Courage resources help parents and educators teach children ages 5 to 13 about persecuted Christians around the world, and provide opportunities for children to serve and pray for them. www.kidsofcourage.com

November 25, 2013

VOM's November newsletter was a special update on the situation for Christians in Syria, in the midst of a horrific civil war. In recent months our office has put a special emphasis on how we can assist Syrian Christians both inside and outside Syria. Those plans are being implemented now. In order to keep our workers and Syrian Christians safe, we can’t describe the exact nature of how we’ll be helping, but when we are able, VOM will update our supporters on how we have been helping persecuted Syrian believers.

Here is a recent update from one of our VOM contact inside Syria.

Since the beginning of the conflict, two small towns in Syria have been a place of refuge for 4,500 families, who were forced to flee their homes in other areas of Syria. The villages are historically Christian and both communities have lived in peace with their Muslim neighbors for decades. Since the arrival of the displaced, Muslims and Christians continued to live in harmony.

On the morning of Oct. 21, 2013 the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse.

November 22, 2013

After a few years of living in the Middle East, I am learning some things. My teachers? Muslim men and women. By observing, hosting, playing, and sharing alongside Muslims, I am changing, I think, for the better.

Here are five things I’m learning as I move toward Muslims:

1. Don’t judge by appearances. As an outsider, my first assumptions are almost always wrong. The seemingly religious woman turns out to be a fashionista with an obsession for American sitcoms. The well-educated researcher with the latest gadgets fasts once a week and spends his evenings at the mosque.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NLT) Clothing and pastimes, nationality and gender can be indicators, but they never tell us the whole story about a human being. I want to stop categorizing by appearances and start looking at people from God’s perspective.

2. People come first. Before promptness, people. Before tasks, the person before me. There is no casual wave and ducking into my house here; neighbors must be greeted properly and news must be exchanged. By looking people in the eye and taking time for them, I have grown in my “others-awareness” and become a little less self-absorbed.

3. Modesty does not equal oppression. In this conservative culture, I cover up more than before. That effort to cover my legs and arms gives me a different perspective on my body and what I choose to show when I go out. I no longer see Muslim veils as intrinsically oppressive*, but a way some women choose to protect what they deem most valuable. Like one woman told me, “The most valuable pearl is covered in its shell.”

*Note: I believe forcing a woman to veil is oppressive, whether through subtle coercion or societal pressure.

4. Close proximity is not always invasion. The Arab world is what I’ll call a warm culture hybrid. That means people tend to touch more than we are used to in the West. A comforting hand on my shoulder, multiple cheek kisses, and even holding hands communicates affection, and I’m learning to be okay with that. Instead of feeling put off by an invasion of my personal space, I’m learning to feel cared for instead.

5. There is wisdom in discretion. Arabs have polite yet firm ways of declining to share details. Sensitive information, like family members’ health, work issues, or future plans are reserved for close, trusted relationships. I am learning that not everyone needs to know everything all of the time. Healthy discretion curbs my tendency toward over-sharing and replaces it with speech that fits the moment and the hearer.

It is always easier to criticize another culture than to let the Holy Spirit change us by it. Don’t let negative stereotypes about Muslims lead you to believe you have nothing positive to gain from them. Take a step toward a Muslim; you might be surprised what you learn!

Your turn: Do any of these lessons resonate with you? What positive traits have you observed in Muslims?

"Anna" blogs about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. She loves Jesus and wants to see Him cherished by her neighbors and people everywhere. Anna will be posting on the Persecution Blog each month. Feel free to ask questions or suggest future topics in the comments section for this post. Anna is a pseudonym, and all names in her posts are changed for security reasons.

November 21, 2013

As you look at this graphic from the BBC, about media usage inside Iran, take time to pray for Christian ministries--including VOM--that are using different media to reach inside Iran with the gospel message.

Among the ways VOM supports persecuted Christians in Iran is support for Christian satellite broadcasts carrying the gospel message and discipling believers inside that nation. As you can see from the graphic, 60% of Iranians watch satellite TV…even though owning a satellite dish is illegal. In fact, one of our partners jokes that the satellite dish is the national flower of Iran!

November 20, 2013

Have you ever met someone who has fallen away from the Lord? Certainly, there are many reasons why this happens to people. But there is one re-occurring reason that I have been seeing recently: They accepted the wrong gospel.

Here is what I mean. Their moment of conversion went something like this: “You should accept Jesus into your heart because God loves you. He wants to bless you. He has a purpose and a plan for your life. God has good things for you. If you accept Him, he will take care of you and protect you. Your life will be better and you will get to be in heaven with Him forever.”

I wonder how many of us got saved like this. In fact, if that’s all there is to it, who would ever not want to be saved? Hear me out: the statement above is not untrue. God does love you and does want to bless you. He certainly has a plan for your life, can protect you, and has made a way for you to spend eternity with Him. But that statement alone is incomplete.

Just telling someone about God’s blessings and love is misleading. And desiring blessings and happiness from God is a shallow motivation to get saved. It’s also a motive that will crack under pressure.

I cannot tell you the number of people I’ve met in the United States who used to follow God but they don’t want to anymore. The reason? Nine times out of ten it’s because they are bitter or resentful toward God or other people for things going badly. They didn’t get what they thought they had bargained for. They thought God was made for them, not the other way around. Then they blame God when they suffer. They were told the wrong—or rather—the incomplete gospel.

Think about it this way: that conversion statement above wouldn’t sell in many of the hostile or restricted nations VOM works in. These are places where being a Christian does not mean your problems go away; it means you have a whole new set of problems! In fact, this is how one Pastor in Northern Nigeria explains it to new believers: “You have come to suffer.” The Bible is clear; salvation is free, but there is a cost to following Jesus.

The truth of the gospel is that God does love us; He sent His son Jesus to die for sinners in desperate need of His grace. He paid for our sins and was raised victorious. We have a choice to accept Christ into our lives and that is exactly what He wants; God wants your life. He wants all of you. And yes He has a plan, but it might not be our plan. It might not be the American dream, suburban home, 401-K plan. Maybe it is. But it’s His plan, a plan that stretches beyond just us, and it’s far better than our own.

There’s no promise that life will be all roses, but He does promise that you will never be alone, that He will give us His strength in times of need and that there is victory in the end. We worship God because He alone is worthy, not so we can get something out of Him.

Jesus tells a story in the Bible about two men, one who builds his house on sand and one who builds his house on the rock. When the storms come, the house on the sand collapses. But the one on the rock stays strong (Matthew 7:24-26). The foundation that we build our faith on will determine how we respond to suffering. May we always find ourselves on solid ground, and be able to say confidently with the apostle Paul: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

"Grace Taylor" serves on the staff of VOM. She was first introduced to the ministry of VOM by her parents and grandparents, who received the VOM newsletter, and through the VOM book Jesus Freaks. She has served in 12 different countries and is passionate about helping expand God’s Kingdom throughout the nations of the world.

November 19, 2013

What’s it like to live under heavy-handed communist rule as a Christian? Colombian Christians in the Putumayo region of Colombia know. That’s because they, and all people in the region, are subject to a list of 46 written points published by the FARC, the armed revolutionaries who control some parts of Colombia. It’s called the “Manual for Coexistence for the Well-Functioning of the Communities.”

The document spells out plenty of points that residents of the region must follow, including that families may have no more than two cell phones per family, and they must not have cameras. It details how often children in boarding schools outside the district may come back to visit. It lists the hours between which goods merchants in the area can travel for more goods. Every person over the age of 15 must be registered with the Community Action Board.

For Christians, the manual also spells out the rules for religious practice. Point 40 states, “Evangelical chapels may only be built in municipal capitals” and, point 41, “Pastors and priests will only hold their masses in the churches in the municipal capitals.” In other words, the FARC control where you can worship and when. Pastors and others who have tried to conduct ministry outside of the city capitals have come under threat or been forced to flee.

The Colombian newspaper tells the story of the Peña family, who received a printed copy of the manual underneath their door. An accompanying letter said, “As you know, and according to point 45, parents whose children are active in the police, army or other state security organizations should sell their belongings and abandon the area.” The family of five packed and left within 45 minutes, fleeing the region.

The pastors that VOM supports in this region and around Colombia face the same sorts of threats. They are committed to reaching the lost throughout Colombia, even in these most difficult zones. Continue to pray for these workers who live and share Christ under these restrictions.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for six years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband and two-year-old son, they share five passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

November 18, 2013

“They have burned our possessions, but they cannot burn Jesus from our hearts.”

Origen was not the typical eighteen-year-old. He was a teacher in second-century Egypt. As the church of his day suffered severe persecution, Origen did not spend his time chasing girls or trying to impress his peers.

Instead of running from the horror that had killed even his own father, Origen chose to become a companion with the persecuted church. He spent his time encouraging Christians who had been brought before the court. When they were led to death, he walked up to kiss them. He even visited the prisons to comfort the believers.

But Origen soon found himself in grave danger for his compassion toward the condemned believers. Soon soldiers were posted around his house because of his influence on the church. He had many enemies, and the anger towards him grew hotter each day.

He was eventually forced to leave the city. He moved from house to house because of the many threats against his life. But spurred on by the examples of faith in Hebrews, he continued being a companion to those who were persecuted. He even employed several people to handwrite additional copies of the Scriptures.

Eventually, his amazing attitude drew some of his enemies to Christ. However, he was eventually imprisoned, tortured, and killed for this same attitude.

What does it mean to be a companion to those who are persecuted? People are not companions because they are going through the exact same sufferings. We may be in entirely different situations from our brothers and sisters in restricted nations, yet we can still be their companions. Physical distance does not make us soul mates. Personal devotion does. Unwavering support, prayer, and concern link our hearts and lives together. Like Origen, are we willing to align ourselves with those who are suffering for the gospel? We can neither be ashamed of our friendships nor ignorant of the ensuing risks. When we hear the voice of the martyrs calling to us in our prayers, will we heed their cries as true companions?

YOUR TURN: Read Hebrews 10:32-34. What does it mean for you, personally, to be a companion to the suffering church? Comment on this post with your answer.

November 15, 2013

VOM friend and coworker Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association, with which VOM partners to help persecuted Christians in China, was interviewed earlier this week by Glenn Beck. The interview occurred just days after Bob spoke at the VOM Regional Conference in Atlanta.

Yesterday we shared the first segment of this interview on the Persecution Blog, where Bob talked about his personal testimony and how China's one-child policy forced him and his family to flee from China. In this second segment Bob shares what imprisoned Christians in China face, including how one Christian was forced to make Christmas lights for export to the United States.